Jcc Lawns Could Get Recycled Relief

James City County residents could soon be the first in Virginia to water their lawns with their own recycled wastewater.

Since the early 1990s, officials have hoped for a chance to convert the county's wastewater -- now dumped into the James River -- into water for residential irrigation. But moves by developers here and lawmakers in Richmond have finally lifted the ambitious project out of the wishful stages.

This spring, new developers for the Stonehouse community in northeastern James City said they intended to finish building homes for the long-awaited project. Those 3,600 homes finally provide the demand necessary for the expensive recycled irrigation water.

And state officials recently drafted public safety regulations for reused water, namely the extent to which wastewater has to be treated before being sprayed on front lawns. Those regulations are moving to an approval in two to four years, said Larry Foster of the James City Service Authority.

So, recognizing the newly opened window of opportunity, James City supervisors authorized the service authority this week to enter into an agreement with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District to study its options.

The study, expected to be finished in December, will cost $135,000.

The idea is that the treatment facility would be built at or around Stonehouse, and those residents who would benefit from the project would see new service rates.

If the project doesn't go through, the cost of the study would be split between the county and the sanitation district. If it is approved, the cost would be factored into the new service rate.

This summer has seen a record demand for water in ever-growing James City. The pressure placed on the county's wells has even forced county service authority leaders to consider limiting the days that residents can water their lawns, possibly as early as next year.

But the benefit of recycling water goes beyond conservation. The wastewater discharged into the James River, that eventually flows into Chesapeake Bay, contains nutrients that grow more algae.

Naturally, officials note, those nutrients are also helpful to grass.

"This project not only helps Larry with his demand on drinking water," said Karen Harr, HRSD's chief of water reuse, "but it's also the smart thing to do environmentally."

The transformed wastewater will not be drinkable -- with system labels saying so -- but will be appropriate for playing in sprinklers, thanks to the state's draft regulations.

With no statewide precedent, James City is looking to Cary, N.C., for guidance.

Thanks to a wastewater treatment plant there, some residents can water their lawns whenever they want, frequently at cheaper rates than those who irrigate with drinkable water.

If James City can mirror Cary's success, it's likely other Hampton Roads localities could follow in the county's water-saving footsteps, Harr said.

The sanitation district would look for other still-developing communities, because it's cheaper to build a plant before homes go up, something Stonehouse's developers, GS Virginia, have suggested they could do.

If approved, the plant wouldn't be built for at least two years, officials said. *

RECYCLING WASTEWATER

* It contains nutrients that grow more algae. Officials note those nutrients are also helpful to grass.

* The transformed wastewater will not be drinkable but will be appropriate for playing in sprinklers .